Program Guide System with Flip and Browse Advertisements

1. A method for using an interactive television program guide to display program schedule information, the method comprising: displaying, on a display, video for a given television channel; displaying over the video for the given television channel an overlay comprising program listings information for a single television channel and additional information, wherein the overlay comprises one of: a browse display and a flip display; and allowing the user to navigate a highlight region between the program listings information and the additional information.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the additional information comprises at least one advertisement.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the at least one advertisement comprises a selectable advertisement.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the additional information comprises additional information containing text.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the additional information comprises additional information containing graphics.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the additional information comprises additional information containing video.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising cycling the content of the additional information.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising: cycling the content of the additional information; and providing a fade between the content of the additional information as it is cycled.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising removing the overlay using special effects.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein displaying program listings information comprises displaying program listings information that is associated with a different television channel than the given television channel.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the additional information comprises at least one advertisement that promotes a television program, the method further comprising recording the program when the at least one advertisement is selected.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the additional information comprises at least one advertisement that promotes a television program, the method further comprising setting a reminder when the at least one advertisement is selected.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the additional information comprises at least one logo.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein allowing the user to navigate the highlight region between the program listings information and the additional information comprises: allowing the user to navigate the highlight region between the program listings information and the additional information by issuing a user control command associated with a particular direction; and allowing the user to issue the same user control command associated with the particular direction, causing the program listings information to change to different program listings information.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising allowing the user to repeatedly issue the same user control command associated with the particular direction, causing the program listings information to change to different program listings information each time.

16. The method of claim 1 wherein the program listings information comprises at least one program listing.

17. A system in which an interactive television program guide is implemented, wherein the interactive television program guide is used to display program schedule information, the system comprising: means for displaying, on a display, video for a given television channel; means for displaying over the video for the given television channel an overlay comprising program listings information for a single television channel and additional information, wherein the overlay comprises one of: a browse display and a flip display; and means for allowing the user to navigate a highlight region between the program listings information and the additional information.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein the additional information comprises at least one advertisement.

19. The system of claim 18 wherein the at least one advertisement comprises a selectable advertisement.

20. The system of claim 17 wherein the additional information comprises additional information containing text.

21. The system of claim 17 wherein the additional information comprises additional information containing graphics.

22. The system of claim 17 wherein the additional information comprises additional information containing video.

23. The system of claim 17 further comprising means for cycling the content of the additional information.

24. The system of claim 17 further comprising: means for cycling the content of the additional information; and means for providing a fade between the content of the additional information as it is cycled.

25. The system of claim 17 further comprising means for removing the overlay using special effects.

26. The system of claim 17 wherein the program listings information comprises program listings information that is associated with a different television channel than the given television channel.

27. The system of claim 17 wherein the additional information comprises at least one advertisement that promotes a television program, the method further comprising means for recording the program when the at least one advertisement is selected.

28. The system of claim 17 wherein the additional information comprises at least one advertisement that promotes a television program, the method further comprising means for setting a reminder when the at least one advertisement is selected.

29. The system of claim 17 wherein the additional information comprises at least one logo.

30. The system of claim 17 wherein the means for allowing the user to navigate the highlight region between the program listings information and the additional information comprises: means for allowing the user to navigate the highlight region between the program listings information and the additional information by issuing a user control command associated with a particular direction; and means for allowing the user to issue the same user control command associated with the particular direction, causing the program listings information to change to different program listings information.

31. The system of claim 30 further comprising means for allowing the user to repeatedly issue the same user control command associated with the particular direction, causing the program listings information to change to different program listings information each time.

32. The system of claim 17 wherein the program listings information comprises at least one program listing.

33. A system in which an interactive television program guide is implemented, wherein the interactive television program guide is used to display program schedule information, the system comprising: a display; and user television equipment configured to: display, on the display, video for a given television channel, display over the video for the given television channel an overlay comprising program listings information for a single television channel and additional information, wherein the overlay comprises one of: a browse display and a flip display, and allow the user to navigate a highlight region between the program listings information and the additional information.

34. The system of claim 33 wherein the additional information comprises at least one advertisement.

35. The system of claim 34 wherein the at least one advertisement comprises a selectable advertisement.

36. The system of claim 33 wherein the additional information comprises text.

37. The system of claim 33 wherein the additional information comprises graphics.

38. The system of claim 33 wherein the additional information comprises video.

39. The system of claim 33 wherein the user television equipment is further configured to cycle the content of the additional information.

40. The system of claim 33 wherein the user television equipment is further configured to: cycle the content of the additional information; and provide a fade between the content of the additional information as it is cycled.

41. The system of claim 33 wherein the user television equipment is further configured to remove the overlay using special effects.

42. The system of claim 33 wherein the program listings information is associated with a different television channel than the given television channel.

43. The system of claim 33 wherein the additional information comprises at least one advertisement that promotes a television program, the user television equipment further configured to record the program when the at least one advertisement is selected.

44. The system of claim 33 wherein the additional information comprises at least one advertisement that promotes a television program, the user television equipment further configured to set a reminder when the at least one advertisement is selected.

45. The system of claim 33 wherein the additional information comprises at least one logo.

46. The system of claim 33 wherein the user television equipment is further configured to: allow the user to navigate the highlight region between the program listings information and the additional information by issuing a user control command associated with a particular direction; and allow the user to issue the same user control command associated with the particular direction, causing the program listings information to change to different program listings information.

47. The system of claim 46 wherein the user television equipment is further configured to allow the user to repeatedly issue the same user control command associated with the particular direction, causing the program listings information to change to different program listings information each time.

48. The system of claim 33 wherein the program listings information comprises at least one program listing.

49. Machine-readable media for use in an interactive television program guide system in which an interactive television program guide that displays program listings information is implemented on user television equipment, wherein the media is encoded with machine-readable instructions for performing the method comprising: displaying, on a display, video for a given television channel; displaying over the video for the given television channel an overlay comprising program listings information for a single television channel and additional information, wherein the overlay comprises one of: a browse display and a flip display; and allowing the user to navigate a highlight region between the program listings information and the additional information.

50. The machine-readable media of claim 49 wherein the additional information comprises at least one advertisement.

51. The machine-readable media of claim 50 wherein the at least one advertisement comprises a selectable advertisement.

52. The machine-readable media of claim 49 wherein the additional information comprises additional information containing text.

53. The machine-readable media of claim 49 wherein the additional information comprises additional information containing graphics.

54. The machine-readable media of claim 49 wherein the additional information comprises additional information containing video.

55. The machine-readable media of claim 49 further comprising cycling the content of the additional information.

56. The machine-readable media of claim 49 further encoded with machine-readable instructions for: cycling the content of the additional information; and providing a fade between the content of the additional information as it is cycled.

57. The machine-readable media of claim 49 further encoded with machine-readable instructions for removing the overlay using special effects.

58. The machine-readable media of claim 49 wherein the program listings information comprises program listings information that is associated with a different television channel than the given television channel.

59. The machine-readable media of claim 49 wherein the additional information comprises at least one advertisement that promotes a television program, the machine-readable media further encoded with machine-readable instructions for recording the program when the at least one advertisement is selected.

60. The machine-readable media of claim 49 wherein the additional information comprises at least one advertisement that promotes a television program, the machine-readable media further encoded with machine-readable instructions for setting a reminder when the at least one advertisement is selected.

61. The machine-readable media of claim 49 wherein the additional information comprises at least one logo.

62. The machine-readable media of claim 49 further encoded with machine-readable instructions for: allowing the user to navigate the highlight region between the program listings information and the additional information by issuing a user control command associated with a particular direction; and allowing the user to issue the same user control command associated with the particular direction, causing the program listings information to change to different program listings information.

63. The machine-readable media of claim 63 further encoded with machine-readable instructions for allowing the user to repeatedly issue the same user control command associated with the particular direction, causing the program listings information to change to different program listings information each time.

64. The machine-readable media of claim 49 wherein the program listings information comprises at least one program listing.

65. A method for using an interactive television program guide to display program schedule information, the method comprising: displaying, on a display, video for a given television channel; displaying over the video for the given television channel an overlay comprising program listings information for a single television channel and additional information, wherein the additional information comprises at least one advertisement; and allowing the user to navigate a highlight region between the program listings information and the additional information.

66. The method of claim 65 wherein the at least one advertisement comprises a selectable advertisement.

67. The method of claim 65 wherein the additional information comprises additional information containing text.

68. The method of claim 65 wherein the additional information comprises additional information containing graphics.

69. The method of claim 65 wherein the additional information comprises additional information containing video.

70. The method of claim 65 further comprising cycling the content of the additional information.

71. The method of claim 65 further comprising: cycling the content of the additional information; and providing a fade between the content of the additional information as it is cycled.

72. The method of claim 65 further comprising removing the overlay using special effects.

73. The method of claim 65 wherein displaying program listings information comprises displaying program listings information that is associated with a different television channel than the given television channel.

74. The method of claim 65 wherein the additional information comprises at least one advertisement that promotes a television program, the method further comprising recording the program when the at least one advertisement is selected.

75. The method of claim 65 wherein the additional information comprises at least one advertisement that promotes a television program, the method further comprising setting a reminder when the at least one advertisement is selected.

76. The method of claim 65 wherein the additional information comprises at least one logo.

77. The method of claim 65 wherein allowing the user to navigate the highlight region between the program listings information and the additional information comprises: allowing the user to navigate the highlight region between the program listings information and the additional information by issuing a user control command associated with a particular direction; and allowing the user to issue the same user control command associated with the particular direction, causing the program listings information to change to different program listings information.

78. The method of claim 77 further comprising allowing the user to repeatedly issue the same user control command associated with the particular direction, causing the program listings information to change to different program listings information each time.

79. The method of claim 65 wherein the program listings information comprises at least one program listing.

80. A system in which an interactive television program guide is implemented, wherein the interactive television program guide is used to display program schedule information, the system comprising: means for displaying, on a display, video for a given television channel; means for displaying over the video for the given television channel an overlay comprising program listings information for a single television channel and additional information, wherein the additional information comprises at least one advertisement; and means for allowing the user to navigate a highlight region between the program listings information and the additional information.

81. The system of claim 80 wherein the at least one advertisement comprises a selectable advertisement.

82. The system of claim 80 wherein the additional information comprises additional information containing text.

83. The system of claim 80 wherein the additional information comprises additional information containing graphics.

84. The system of claim 80 wherein the additional information comprises additional information containing video.

85. The system of claim 80 further comprising means for cycling the cYontent of the additional information.

86. The system of claim 80 further comprising: means for cycling the content of the additional information; and means for providing a fade between the content of the additional information as it is cycled.

87. The system of claim 80 further comprising means for removing the overlay using special effects.

88. The system of claim 80 wherein the program listings information comprises program listings information that is associated with a different television channel than the given television channel.

89. The system of claim 80 wherein the additional information comprises at least one advertisement that promotes a television program, the method further comprising means for recording the program when the at least one advertisement is selected.

90. The system of claim 80 wherein the additional information comprises at least one advertisement that promotes a television program, the method further comprising means for setting a reminder when the at least one advertisement is selected.

91. The system of claim 80 wherein the additional information comprises at least one logo.

92. The system of claim 80 wherein the means for allowing the user to navigate the highlight region between the program listings information and the additional information comprises: means for allowing the user to navigate the highlight region between the program listings information and the additional information by issuing a user control command associated with a particular direction; and means for allowing the user to issue the same user control command associated with the particular direction, causing the program listings information to change to different program listings information.

93. The system of claim 92 further comprising means for allowing the user to repeatedly issue the same user control command associated with the particular direction, causing the program listings information to change to different program listings information each time.

94. The system of claim 80 wherein the program listings information comprises at least one program listing.

95. A system in which an interactive television program guide is implemented, wherein the interactive television program guide is used to display program schedule information, the system comprising: a display; and user television equipment configured to: display, on the display, video for a given television channel, display over the video for the given television channel an overlay comprising program listings information for a single television channel and additional information, wherein the additional information comprises at least one advertisement, and allow the user to navigate a highlight region between the program listings information and the additional information.

96. The system of claim 95 wherein the at least one advertisement comprises a selectable advertisement.

97. The system of claim 95 wherein the additional information comprises text.

98. The system of claim 95 wherein the additional information comprises graphics.

99. The system of claim 95 wherein the additional information comprises video.

100. The system of claim 95 wherein the user television equipment is further configured to cycle the content of the additional information.

101. The system of claim 95 wherein the user television equipment is further configured to: cycle the content of the additional information; and provide a fade between the content of the additional information as it is cycled.

102. The system of claim 95 wherein the user television equipment is further configured to remove the overlay using special effects.

103. The system of claim 95 wherein the program listings information is associated with a different television channel than the given television channel.

104. The system of claim 95 wherein the additional information comprises at least one advertisement that promotes a television program, the user television equipment further configured to record the program when the at least one advertisement is selected.

105. The system of claim 95 wherein the additional information comprises at least one advertisement that promotes a television program, the user television equipment further configured to set a reminder when the at least one advertisement is selected.

106. The system of claim 95 wherein the additional information comprises at least one logo.

107. The system of claim 95 wherein the user television equipment is further configured to: allow the user to navigate the highlight region between the program listings information and the additional information by issuing a user control command associated with a particular direction; and allow the user to issue the same user control command associated with the particular direction, causing the program listings information to change to different program listings information.

108. The system of claim 107 wherein the user television equipment is further configured to allow the user to repeatedly issue the same user control command associated with the particular direction, causing the program listings information to change to different program listings information each time.

109. The system of claim 95 wherein the program listings information comprises at least one program listing.

110. Machine-readable media for use in an interactive television program guide system in which an interactive television program guide that displays program listings information is implemented on user television equipment, wherein the media is encoded with machine-readable instructions for performing the method comprising: displaying, on a display, video for a given television channel; displaying over the video for the given television channel an overlay comprising program listings information for a single television channel and additional information, wherein the additional information comprises at least one advertisement; and allowing the user to navigate a highlight region between the program listings information and the additional information.

111. The machine-readable media of claim 110 wherein the at least one advertisement comprises a selectable advertisement.

112. The machine-readable media of claim 110 wherein the additional information comprises additional information containing text.

113. The machine-readable media of claim 110 wherein the additional information comprises additional information containing graphics.

114. The machine-readable media of claim 110 wherein the additional information comprises additional information containing video.

115. The machine-readable media of claim 110 further comprising cycling the content of the additional information.

116. The machine-readable media of claim 110 further encoded with machine-readable instructions for: cycling the content of the additional information; and providing a fade between the content of the additional information as it is cycled.

117. The machine-readable media of claim 110 further encoded with machine-readable instructions for removing the overlay using special effects.

118. The machine-readable media of claim 110 wherein the program listings information comprises program listings information that is associated with a different television channel than the given television channel.

119. The machine-readable media of claim 110 wherein the additional information comprises at least one advertisement that promotes a television program, the machine-readable media further encoded with machine-readable instructions for recording the program when the at least one advertisement is selected.

120. The machine-readable media of claim 110 wherein the additional information comprises at least one advertisement that promotes a television program, the machine-readable media further encoded with machine-readable instructions for setting a reminder when the at least one advertisement is selected.

121. The machine-readable media of claim 110 wherein the additional information comprises at least one logo.

122. The machine-readable media of claim 110 further encoded with machine-readable instructions for: allowing the user to navigate the highlight region between the program listings information and the additional information by issuing a user control command associated with a particular direction; and allowing the user to issue the same user control command associated with the particular direction, causing the program listings information to change to different program listings information.

123. The machine-readable media of claim 122 further encoded with machine-readable instructions for allowing the user to repeatedly issue the same user control command associated with the particular direction, causing the program listings information to change to different program listings information each time.

124. The machine-readable media of claim 110 wherein the program listings information comprises at least one program listing.